A new kind of game
by fandomfollower
Summary: Bellatrix gets ordered to stay at the manor until she is needed, but grows bored with the place. That's when she decides to go down to the dungeons and start a game with one of the toys trapped in the manor with her.
1. Chapter 1

Bella Luna, beautiful moon. She wondered if her ward was thinking the same thing...probably not since she couldn't see the moon. Bellatrix sighed, if only the girl could see things her way, such a waste of talent. Luna had potential to be so much greater than she already was, but just as Bellatrix was to her Lord, Luna was to each of her friends.

Bellatrix took one last look at the moon before pouring a vial into some tea and picking up the tray. She carried the small thing of snacks and tea down to the dungeons whenever she was bored. It started three weeks ago, when she was ordered to stay hidden until her Lord needed her. She was too important to risk in the field while he prepared, and she was to reckless to not be a risk herself. After a few days, she grew so bored of her stuck-up brother in-law's house that she went down to the dungeons for some fun. That's when she met her, officially anyway. Her little moon, her Luna.

The girl was strong for her age. She tried to fight Bellatrix the instant the door opened and for the first few minutes of her torture. Impressive, but not good enough to free herself. That first day, that first fight, was exactly what Bellatrix needed to spice up her time trapped in the manor and she decided to do that every day from then on.

But of course, that got boring as well after the third day, when the girl realized that this was going to become a regular thing. There was no more fighting, no more resistance when it came to magical threats and torture. Bellatrix needed to come up with something else, something better. She needed to not only entertain herself from now on but surprise the blonde and keep her on her toes. That's when it came to her; talk the girl over. Make her doubt her friends, her family. Break her mind with the painful truth of it all and have her go after the ones she loved. Take advantage of the situation in more ways than one. So on her next visit, Bellatrix brought down some tea and sandwiches for the girl, laced with Veritaserum. It took a little while, okay, a great while, for Bellatrix to convince the young with to eat and drink her fill. There was no trust, and no right to trust, but there were also no other options.

Once Luna had cleaned the tray, Bellatrix began talking. About the way Hogwarts was when she was a student, asking how things have changed. The two of them had a nice conversation about the Great Hall during the holidays and the competition between the houses. Even though she was being forced into the conversation, Luna found herself liking the company and the lack of interest in her friends for once. Bellatrix gave a good show, even if that's all it was.

When the potion began to wear off, Bellatrix left. A simple wave and "Until next time" was said before the doors to the dungeon closed once again, and both witches were alone. Two days later, Bellatrix returned with her tray, and Luna cautiously ate and drank her fill before the conversation would strike up and they spoke about the many professors, sharing stories and notes. Luna had no idea whether anything Bellatrix said was true or not, but it was interesting to listen to and become a part of so she went along with it. Yet again, when the potion wore off, Bellatrix left.

It had been weeks of these random visits, pointless chats. But Bellatrix felt herself getting closer to the heart of it all. She learned enough about Luna and her oddities to know what to say and had a pretty good guess of how tonight was going to play out. She opened the doors and walked into the darkness.

"Hello~" a sweet voice called out from the far corner.

"Luna," she answered with a smile, greetings were a sign of trust, "Sorry I haven't been down for a while, I had some business to attend to." She left it at that and saw the girl shiver involuntarily. Bellatrix really had just been waiting the girl out and growing more bored with each day, but she did have a reputation to keep and didn't want the girl to think she was a priority. "I brought you tuna today, and your favorite tea." She placed the tray down on the table she had conjured when these visits started.

"Thank you." Luna moved out of the corner and sat across from Bellatrix. "What are we going to talk about today?"

"Well, I have been thinking about how much we talk about things that aren't us. I know so much more about how the school is and how the professors are, and how you're doing in class, but I know so little about you."

Luna paused in her meal. She didn't like where this was going but had no clue what to say. She looked up at Bellatrix, who was smiling with her chin on her hand. It was a strange mixture of pretty and cruelty that was looking back, waiting to go on. She swallowed then spoke up, "What would you like to know?" Immediately she regretted it, but it was curiosity that killed the cat.

"Who are your parents? You've spoken so little of them even with the potion."

"My mother died when I was nine so I don't really have much to say about her. My father is Xenophilious Lovegood. Both of them were magical and went to Hogwarts, but I think is was at a different time than when you were there." Luna looked down and grabbed another sandwich. She didn't want to be willingly sharing these things, but she also knew that it was dangerous to not entertain Bellatrix. Today, the potion was going to help her as much as hurt her.

"You might be right about that. But then again I never really socialized outside of my pureblood friends, unless harrassment counts?" Bellatrix smirked at her memories. "You said your mother died when you were nine? How?"

"She was trying to perfect a spell she created, but it didn't turn out right. She liked to experiment with her magic. It backfired and killed her instantly, but I am not sure exactly what happened. I was too young to do anything about it."

"You were there?"

"yes."

"Did she know?"

"yes."

"Did your father?"

"i don't remember."

"So not only was your mother experimenting with magic, dangerous magic, but she put you at risk?" Bellatrix looked incredulous as she spoke but knew she had finally found the trigger. This girl had power coursing through her veins. It takes a lot to create a spell, even if it backfires that takes a lot. She watched as Luna ate the remainder of the sandwiches quietly, wondering how far she should push the girl tonight. "What do you remember about her?"

"her hugs..." Luna said softly, "her smell...like bunch of flowers...her laugh was so pretty..." She stared off at the wall with a sad smile and tears began to run down her cheeks.

"Did she look like you?" Bellatrix pushed, she knew that she had to make the happy memories hurt if this plan was going to work, but the transparency of Luna's emotions was starting to get to her.

"My father says she did, but I remember her with darker hair and deeper eyes." Luna put the empty tea cup on the now clean tray.

"She sounds lovely." Bellatrix commented, meaning every word and that shocked her. If the mother was powerful and half as pretty as the girl than there was much to be gained from changing her side._ Half as pretty as the girl...well that's a new thought...must be the lighting in this place... I need to leave now._ She thought as she watched the young witch cry towards the wall. "But I can see that this is too much so I think we're done. Until next time." And she got up and walked out without a glance back.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Luna sat for a minute, staring at the wall while she tried to control her tears. She tried to think of Bellatrix and how strange she acted on these visits. She took a deep breath to steady herself then got up and walked to the door. Bellatrix never left before the potions wore off before, and certainly not when tears formed. Luna wondered what she was trying to do, why she wanted to get to know her victim for once… Luna began to cry again. This woman was going to drive her insane with this game of hers.

Bellatrix left the dungeons and walked straight to her room without looking back. She locked the door behind her and flopped onto the bed. She laid there for a few moments trying to sort through her thoughts.

_Since when did I think that prisoner was pretty? She is tragic. She is beaten. Well, that is kind of my fault… or all my fault… She isn't healthy enough to be called pretty. She doesn't look it._ Bellatrix sighed. Even to her, it sounded like she was being defensive of her own thoughts. There should be no reason for her to think that she would need to talk herself out of complementing a prisoner in her own mind. _Thank goodness I am not the one who took the potion. Damn! The potion is still in her system. I guess I will just leave her be for tonight. I need a stronger plan now that I think- now that I know her weak point._ Bellatrix got up and moved to the window, using her reflection to regain her frightening demeanor.

"Zill!" She called out. There was a small pop sound and a house elf appeared at the foot of her bed. "Tomorrow night I want you to make a meal for the blonde prisoner. A filling one, complete with salad and dessert. You can ask her what she wants tomorrow, and let her know that I won't be joining her for this one. Ask her what she wishes to eat early in the morning and do not serve her until the moon shines through the kitchen windows. Understand?" Bellatrix didn't bother to turn around as she gave orders.

"Yes Mistress Bellatrix." Zill bowed deep enough for her nose to touch the ground. "Is that all?"

"Yes, now leave." There was another pop and Bellatrix was along again, although not for very long.

There were three strong knocks on her bedroom door before it opened to show her husband, dirty and unkempt, with a paper in hand. "For you, from the Dark Lord." Bellatrix quickly walked over and snatched the paper from his hand. It simply said for her to be in the library as soon as she received the note, so she waltzed from the room without a second glance at her husband.

Luna sat silently in the dark for the longest time, waiting for the potion to wear off. She wondered whether it was morning or night now, what the sky looked like, how long she had been here, how much longer she would be here, she thought about everything other than Bellatrix.

"Luna?" Olivander called out, "Are you still at the table?" He began to wander around their cell to try to find his way to her.

"No, I'm over here by the door." She stood up and started to walk toward the graceless figure.

"What are you doing over there?"

"I wanted to be there." Luna froze, the potion was still working, so Bellatrix must not have been gone for very long. Since when did she want to be by the door?

"I was wondering what happened to you. I woke up and you were gone so I assumed to your dinner, but then you didn't come back and I couldn't hear voices. I got worried." Olivander bumped into Luna and smiled. "There you are!"

Luna held her tongue, fighting the effects of the potion the same way she did when she was with Bellatrix. She wasn't going to say anything unless she was asked a direct question. This helped her to keep from saying the wrong thing, even though it's what she honestly thought. She smiled back at him and took his arm to walk him back to the make-shift cot in the cell.

Olivander was far worse off than she was. He was only fed once a day and it was the smallest and most un-healthy thing that their captors had. The house-elves would pop down in the morning with a tray of two glasses of water and one plate of some grain. In the beginning, they had to share, but ever since Bellatrix started these strange visits, Luna had been letting Olivander eat more of the food and water since she would get her own later. Which reminded her-

"Hold on! I will be right back!" Luna let go of his arm and ran back to the table she previously had been at. There was still a few bits of food left and the cup. She quickly grabbed what she could and went back to where Olivander was standing. "Here, it's probably laced with potion but it tastes wonderful and it won't hurt you." She hands him the food and looks into his eyes. The man is frail, but his eyes show his smile brighter than ever. She helps him back to the prison bed and sits quietly as he eats.

The Dark Lord was not known for his patience, and who knows how long her _dearest husband_ waited to give her the note. The two of them were never meant to be, but must be to keep their lines pure and to keep the families in the good manners of their Lord. Her Lord.

Bellatrix moved as swiftly through the halls on her way to the library as she could while still looking dignified and frightening. She did not need anyone stopping her for any reason, so she put on her "leave-me-be" airs as she made her way. However, the façade slipped just a little once she was in front of the door to the library. With a deep breath, she raised her hand to knock twice and waited for the doors to open and allow her in.

The sudden movements of the door were expected, but the person smirking at her from the other side was not. Wormtail looked quite proud of himself as he moved around her and gestured for her to enter the room before closing the doors behind him. She never liked the scum, for anyone who would turn-tail once would do it again. She glared at the rat for as long as she could and at the doors for a little while after before turning and kneeling to greet her Lord.

"Bella," He moved toward her from his place at the window, "you don't have to kneel. Please come sit by me." The Dark Lord motioned for her to take a seat at the high-back chair opposite the desk in the center of the room. She moved to the chair and waited for him to sit before she did, then kept her eyes downward as he spoke again. "It has been brought to my attention that you are spending a lot of time down in the dungeons, with the girl. May I ask why?"

"Boredom, my Lord." She stated simply, eyes still down.

"It seems that way yes, but I know you and you are never just what you seem." The Dark Lord stood from his chair behind the desk and moved behind her. "Dear Bella, you are so much more than that."

Bellatrix sat straighter in her seat and lifted her head to look out the window. The Dark Lord placed his hand on the top corner of the chair and looked down at her. She was his most loyal, most faithful, and one of the strongest fighters he had. He knew she had a secret but wanted her to say it, for he knew she would never work against him. He saw her gazing out the far window, to the moon, and the perfect trap presented itself. "Have you taken a liking to the young girl?"

She stiffened, more if possible. "Pardon, my Lord?" She turned to look him in the eyes, to be sure she heard him properly.

"If I can trust my sources, she is of pure blood. It would not be inconceivable for the two of you to be together. That is, if you wish it so." Her Dark Lord, speaking of love, she was shocked silent. Bellatrix sat staring up at her master wondering what he was trying to do.

"I have no secrets from you, Lord. I simple grew tired of doing nothing here in the mansion and decided to play with the prisoners. When I was down there, she turned out to be the strongest with the best connections to the 'golden trio'. I only wish to play until she breaks. Nothing more, my Lord." Bellatrix watched as the Dark Lord moved back to his seat behind the desk and looked her over.

"Until she breaks?" Bellatrix nodded. "Then what? Would you kill her? Send her back to her friends?" His figure loomed over her in the moon light. "No, dear Bella, I have a better idea."


End file.
